No punishment for David Price

June 3, 2014

ESPN.com news services

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

CLEVELAND -- David Ortiz, who was hit in the back in the first inning by a David Price fastball Friday, was irate that the Rays left-hander evidently is escaping unpunished while Red Sox starter Brandon Workman, who later threw a pitch behind Evan Longoria and was promptly ejected, on Tuesday was fined and suspended for six games by Major League Baseball.

"I don't think what they're doing is fair. I think the rules should be for everybody. We didn't start this up. I didn't hit nobody. Workman didn't hit anybody in the first inning. [Price] did."

Ortiz noted how plate umpire Dan Bellino issued a warning to Price and both teams immediately after Ortiz was hit by the pitch, which demonstrated, Ortiz said, that the umpires had determined intent on Price's part.

"I thought the rule was for everybody," Ortiz said. "I thought that the minute you figure someone hit someone on purpose -- the rule says it right there -- you're going to follow up with it. In this case, it seems they ain't.

"Workman throws one pitch behind Longoria, he got thrown out of the game. So [what] are you telling me? We haven't hit nobody. But the guy who threw a pitch behind Longoria, and he got thrown out of the game? So, where we at?"

Asked if he understood what Workman did, Ortiz said: "He was supposed to back up his teammate. That's what he did, you know. And I mean, I don't want to see anyone getting hit or getting hurt, you know what I'm saying?

"And to be honest with you, nobody planned on Workman going out there and hitting Longoria, [who] he missed. But at least he sent a message -- if you hit my players, I hit yours."

Ortiz said that as Friday's game went on, he became convinced that Price had thrown at him intentionally because Ortiz had homered twice off him in Game 2 of an American League division playoff series last October.

"That's why I was so angry after the game," Ortiz said.

Ortiz said Price called him immediately after the playoff game. "I wasn't the one who called him," Ortiz said. "He called me."

Asked if Price had objected specifically to Ortiz lingering at home plate to watch his second home run, a drive down the right-field line, he said: "I guess."

"He tried to make that point, what I understand at the time, that he gave it up; [but] he's not a loser, he's a guy who likes competition," Ortiz said. "I made my point clear: 'Hey dude, you're not going to win every day all the time. I know you want to take your team to the playoffs.'

"I [talked] good. Because of that, he called me back later ... and apologized. If I had gotten angry like him, then things would have been different. Basically he punked me because of what he did. I thought it was a word between man and man. To come back and do what he did [Friday night], I think it was some punk a-- s---.

"I'm not going to get hit again," Ortiz continued. "Not by him. He did it on purpose. He punked me and that's very disrespectful. I'm a grown-a-- man. I've been around the league a long time and I know how to take care of business on my own."

Workman will appeal his suspension and make his scheduled start Wednesday.